Head Coach Brian Daboll
Q: How has it been so far, your early impressions, working against (Defensive Coordinator) Shane Bowen's defense?
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, it's good. It's good competitive practices. We're two days in, so just making strides and trying to get better today.
Q: I noticed you guys have been rolling (cornerback) (Tre) Hawkins (III) in with the ones and (cornerback) Deonte (Banks) getting some breaks. What's behind that? Is Deonte dealing with something?
BRIAN DABOLL: No, it's training camp. So we're seeing different matchups. There's a lot of people in and there'll be a lot of people in for the next couple weeks.
Q: How's (offensive tackle) Jermaine (Eluemunor) today?
BRIAN DABOLL: A little bit better. We'll probably do the same thing that we did yesterday with him. They have a day off tomorrow, with the hope that when we get back the next day, we'll be ready to go. And pads will start up next week after the first day.
Q: What about (safety) Tyler Nubin?
BRIAN DABOLL: Same thing, we'll give him today. We'll do the same thing we did with him yesterday, with the hope that he's back here shortly.
Q: What's wrong with him?
BRIAN DABOLL: His calf is a little tight but it's not long term or anything like that. We are just being smart to get through this first week, ramp up and hopefully next week we can get him back out there.
Q: The first day of pads is Monday, is that right?
BRIAN DABOLL: The day after the day off it's the shells and then two days of pads. Or maybe two shells and then a day of pads. I'm just focused on today.
Q: You said somewhere, I forget if it was to us or on Hard Knocks, that (tight end) Lawrence Cager was having one of the best offseasons, I think?
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, it was in OTAs.
Q: Now he's scored touchdowns here in the last couple days. What was it exactly that he did this offseason or what did you notice that made you say that?
BRIAN DABOLL: He's playing faster. I think he's absorbed what he needs to do in terms of understanding all the play calls, the nuances, experience in the system, and I think (Tight Ends Coach) Tim Kelly has done a great job. He's added a lot to our staff in a lot of different areas, but he's a heck of a tight end coach.
Q: You were pretty impressed with (wide receiver) Malik's (Nabers) dawg mentality when you watched him on film at LSU. I guess you saw some of that yesterday in the 1-on-1's against (cornerback) Tae (Deonte Banks)?
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I've seen it every day I've been around him. His mentality is the mentality you need to have. He's humble, but he works extremely hard. We've moved him in a lot of places. I'd say for a young receiver, a lot of times you put [them] at one spot. So, it's a credit to him and the amount of work that he puts in. He knows he's got a long way to go. It's just a couple practices, but obviously we thought he was a good player where we selected him. I told you I love the person. I love his competitive desire, his will, his grit, if you will. But he knows he's two days in. He's had an OTAs. He's not where he wants to be. No one is, not anyone on our roster, not any coach, but he's got the right mindset.
Q: How do you keep that channeled productively so that he doesn't go off the rails, so to speak?
BRIAN DABOLL: I just think that's who he is. He's competitive. He wants to do well, and he's willing to do anything he can do to be as good as he can be. He knows he hasn't played in the league. There's going to be some rough spots, whenever those come up, and we're here for him. He's here for us. We communicate. We work well together, but I don't want to let him lose who he is. Be who you are.
Q: (Inside linebacker) (Micah) McFadden and (tight end) (Jack) Stoll, are those guys you are keeping dialed back a little because of what they were dealing with in the spring?
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, there's a few of those guys that we're just, in terms of the ramp-up period the first few days of training camp. I'd say, (Executive Director of Player Performance) Aaron Wellman, (Head Athletic Trainer) Ronnie Barnes do a really good job of individualizing all the plans for each player. It's not: everybody's the same. So, we have a plan for a number of players leading up here into the first few days and then going into the next week. Those would be two guys.
Q: Brian, a lot of times in free agency, you have to rely on your scouts and tape for a guy you're not familiar with. You do not do that with (running back) Motor (Devin Singletary), obviously. What is it about him as a guy and as a player that, if the (running back) Saquon (Barkley) is not here, that's the guy we want?
BRIAN DABOLL: Well, I was with him for all those years. He has very good discipline. He has the right attitude. He's got tremendous will and got a lot of grit to him. He does what he's supposed to do when he's supposed to do it. There's the dependability factor. Good communicator. He's a very good leader in the running back room. He's been around some good ones ahead of him, around Frank Gore, who's one of the best to do it at running back. He's not over-the-top loud, but I'd say he's respected by the people in the locker room. He'll do a good job for us.
Q: How about (safety) Jason Pinnock in the role that maybe is a little bit bigger for him now, given the room?
BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, another guy we got and kind of groomed him. I give him a lot of credit. Great attitude. Athletic. Can do some different things, playing a deep part of the field. He's extremely athletic, gifted, explosive, fast, and it's a new system, but he's picking it up well, and I expect him to play well.
Q: What initially stood out to you about (wide receiver) (Allen) Robinson?
BRIAN DABOLL: Veteran. He's played for a long time, so he knows how to be a pro. I think he's done a good job on the field physically, but I also think he adds an element of leadership in the room with some younger receivers. Some experience. There's times, it was yesterday, we were watching a one-on-one clip, and it wasn't even (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers), but it was another receiver, and I'm watching it, going through it, making some corrections, and he spoke up. He said, 'Hey, (Head Coach) Dabs (Brian Daboll), can you rewind that and just pause it for a minute?' He sat there for 30 seconds and just had a private conversation with Malik on a certain technique that he saw. So, when you can get some veterans in the room, whether it's the receiver room, defensive line room, running back room, that know what it looks like, knows how to be a pro, that helps.
Q: How do you work the balance of that? You've got a guy who is now 30 years old, he's battled injuries and he's coming here running with the third-team in camp. You obviously have guys ahead of him on the depth chart. Young receivers, you spent a lot of capital on them. Do you kind of have to watch and make sure he feels like he's a big part of this or still a part of this and he's not just being used as a leader?
BRIAN DABOLL: Well, I think you hit that head on. I had a conversation with him when we were first talking about bringing him in and you cover that because I don't want players coming in here expecting one thing and it's totally different. So, they have to understand what it looks like and what I see it as, the expectation, is it a good fit for you, too, and that you want to be part of it. I laid it on the line with him. This is what it was. If you have any questions, I'll be as truthful as I can to you and then make that decision. If it works good for you and works good for us, then it's a good partnership.
Q: We know (wide receiver) (Jalin) Hyatt can get down the field. We saw that yesterday that he can present that vertical threat. What do you want to see from him to take his game to the next level?
BRIAN DABOLL: Him and (Wide Receivers Coach) Mike Groh, I tell you, Mike has done a fantastic job here these last two years. He meets all the time with Hyatt. And Hyatt has really improved since he's been here. It's a different system than he came from, which is for most people. But he has put a lot of time, effort, and energy into improving his craft. And it shows up. He might not get the ball in certain things, but his routes, his understanding, his play speed. You can be fast, but sometimes not play fast when there's a lot of things going on and he has really improved in that area. Had a really good OTAs. And I like the receiver room we have. Hyatt's been good. (Wide receiver) (Darius) Slayton has had a good camp these first two days. (Wide receiver) Wan'Dale (Robinson), (wide receiver) Leek (Malik Nabers), and even the guys in the back. We talked about (wide receiver) Rob (Allen Robinson), (wide receiever) Isaiah (Hodgins). There's good competition and look forward to seeing how it unfolds.
Q: Are there any guys who practiced yesterday that aren't going today for any reason?
BRIAN DABOLL: (Defensive lineman) Timmy Horne will not be out there. He has a little calf.
